First detector purchase..thoughts on my list

Skinsfan · Feb 14, 2013

Hey folks,

New and glad to be here. Live in Virginia and am looking to get a detector for some relic hunting (I have access to some private land near some Civil War) battlefields. As well as some just messing around and beach combing.

I have done so much research my head hurts. I am not in the mountains so I am not sure I need a ground adjusting unit and to preserve my marriage would like to keep the purchase under $250.

I have looked at the following units:

Tesaro Cibola-no LCD, good depth, $361 (little out of the starter range)

Garrett Ace 250-seems decent, $212 nice LCD display, have read the beeps are annoying and am concenred it is not deep enough for relic hunting.

Fisher F2. Really nice display, fast response. Great price and can get around $190. Again concenred it will not go deep enough.

If you have any thoughts or suggestions on an entry level unit that will work for relic digs and maybe some beach stuff. (I realize none work great near the salt water). I appreciate your thoughts in advance.

I have looked online and some of the online vendors package stuff together, but for the most part the packaged stuff look like junk. I would love to find a unit and get a functional pin pointer.

Thanks again! I hope to make a decision and be hunting soon!

joee5 · Feb 14, 2013

The Cibola is an excellent MD. She finds them DEEEEEP but does not like the wet sand. Harder to learn from sounds versus an image.

Skinsfan · Feb 14, 2013

joee5 said:
The Cibola is an excellent MD. She finds them DEEEEEP but does not like the wet sand. Harder to learn from sounds versus an image.

Thanks!, if you took the cibola out of the mix, what would be choice #2? Will they get deep enough?

joee5 · Feb 14, 2013

Skinsfan said:
Thanks!, if you took the cibola out of the mix, what would be choice #2? Will they get deep enough?

can't comment for I have not used the other 2 choices. Can only give you an honest opinion is all.
You'll be happy with the Cibola should you happen to choose the Tesoro lifetime warranty. Only reason mine is out of commission is because my house got flooded during Sandy and she got flooded as well. Good luck.

allank · Feb 14, 2013

relic hunting = beep and then dig, ace250 and the f2 are both in your price range and when you upgrade you can go hunt all those old spots again.I like my bong bong machine lol

Skinsfan · Feb 14, 2013

allank said:
relic hunting = beep and then dig, ace250 and the f2 are both in your price range and when you upgrade you can go hunt all those old spots again.I like my bong bong machine lol

Which one you like better? Leaning towards f2 or ace

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

allank · Feb 14, 2013

I have never used an F2 , but they seem to be on par

DIGGER27 · Feb 14, 2013

Skinsfan said:
Which one you like better? Leaning towards f2 or ace

I like the F2.
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=53930

Skinsfan · Feb 14, 2013

DIGGER27 said:
I like the F2.
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=53930

Thanks

garyo1954 · Feb 14, 2013

DIGGER27 said:
I like the F2.
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=53930

+1 for the F2 among the choices you are considering.

Thing to keep in mind about relic hunting is ground mineralization. Civil war sites are often in known areas of heavy mineralization which means manual ground balance would come in handy.

All three of your choices have a fixed ground balance. Some of the members who are primarily relic hunters should offer better ideas on how they compensate. Dropping the sensitivity might work but you'll lose (very little) depth.

Detectors like the Tesoro Vaquero, Tejon, and maybe the F5 would be probably be more to your liking for relic hunting.

Not to worry. All metal detectors will find metal and civil war relics are primarily brass, iron, and steel. Go with the F2.

Milhaus · Feb 14, 2013

If your budget is that tight then the F2 with the 8" and 4" coils including a pinpointer. You really don't want to go without a pinpointer of some kind. Later you could upgrade to a larger coil.

MikeTX · Feb 15, 2013

Ace 250 is good and solid. The beeps don't bother me a bit either.

beephead · Feb 15, 2013

You will be better off getting a good used Tesoro Cibola for $225 -$250.

There's no need to wait for a upgrade. The Cibola is the upgrade.

Post a WTB ad on the forum.

beephead

diggerdogjohn · Feb 15, 2013

Welcom fellow Virginian. What part of the state are you from. Both the F2 and Garrett are good starter units. I've onlu used the Garrett Ace 350 and the AT pro but hear good things about the F2. Happy hunnting. If you live close by PM me and maybe we'll hunt together sometime.

joee5 · Feb 15, 2013

I was very satisfied with my Cibola. Whichever you choose, do it quick. Spring is almost here.

Skinsfan · Feb 15, 2013

diggerdogjohn said:
Welcom fellow Virginian. What part of the state are you from. Both the F2 and Garrett are good starter units. I've onlu used the Garrett Ace 350 and the AT pro but hear good things about the F2. Happy hunnting. If you live close by PM me and maybe we'll hunt together sometime.

hey there...outside of Richmond, Midlo area.

DirtAngler · Feb 15, 2013

Personally I think you'd be better off buying a good used Vaquero. If you're relic hunting you're digging almost everything so the screen isn't necessary, but having ground balance could be big.

Skinsfan · Feb 15, 2013

DirtAngler said:
Personally I think you'd be better off buying a good used Vaquero. If you're relic hunting you're digging almost everything so the screen isn't necessary, but having ground balance could be big.

Thanks! It seems to be looking like the ground balance may save me some aggrevation. Will expand my research for some used Tesaros as well as some used F4's.

At this rate, I should have a detector sometime in 2015. :cool:

Cherry Picker · Feb 15, 2013

Just so you know most good relic sites are heavily saturated with iron(mineralized) and most low to mid level detectors don't have a manual ground balance to optimize for such conditions. That being said, you should still do well with either machine.

Personally, if I were to chose one of those for relic hunting it would be the F2. The ACE would be my choice if I were coin hunting, but Fisher makes great relic machines.

Skinsfan · Feb 15, 2013

Detector said:
Just so you know most good relic sites are heavily saturated with iron(mineralized) and most low to mid level detectors don't have a manual ground balance to optimize for such conditions. That being said, you should still do well with either machine.

Personally, if I were to chose one of those for relic hunting it would be the F2. The ACE would be my choice if I were coin hunting, but Fisher makes great relic machines.

Thanks, I like the price of the F2 :grin:

, but don't want to have buyers remorse and wish i had dropped a few more bucks for one with ground balance. I appreciate everyones feedback and suggestions.

I have a few feelers out with some of the sponsors here as well as a WTB post.

Thanks again!

First detector purchase..thoughts on my list

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